It is my belief that work ethic comes from a place of positivity. From the time I could actually “talk” and “walk” my Mom and Dad gave me chores. These changed as my capabilities and age progressed. I was highly rewarded for extraordinary accomplishments, not just expected activities. I’ve had times wherein I “raged” against this concept with lazy tendencies or rebuttals. However, I came right back around to this way of life for a variety of reasons. Let me share those with you.
Community
Although there is a fine line between being authentic (good) and allowing personal drama (not so good) to seep into your work, no matter what you do you learn how to work with others. This provides a sense of community and you know exactly what I’m talking about. Everyone has their own set of talents and work habits. Not every human being gets along. But when you care about your work, you meet people. You either make things happen or facilitate the process. You have somewhere to go and something to do. You learn how to get along with others. Last but not least, if you’re responsible, people notice. Have you ever watched a crime show? Have you observed times people know something is amiss when an otherwise reliable person misses work? That’s usually the first clue. I don’t want to be the “missing person”, but I do want to be the individual someone would miss.
Sense of Purpose
I can’t say I was an angel all my life, never had hard times, or never allowed myself to slip into bad habits. It’s a fact that a sense of purpose directly contributes to your self-esteem and ability to move past trials and tribulations. When you accomplish something positive, it sets the tone for more success. It does not matter what your capability is, when you sit around and do nothing it manifests into a downward spiral. It is my belief that when you have a sense of purpose, you also have something to hold on to when life brings on unexpected or unpleasant interruptions. It is almost like a guiding light. Structure, even coming from a free-spirited, questioning, and fault filled human, is important.
Freedom
Money helps to pay your bills. It is not the “root of all evil”. There is a vast difference between greed and self-reliability. To this day, I speak with younger people about living within their means, not becoming a “slave” by relying on someone else to help pay bills (the government, your parents, a spouse, etc.). Being able to hold your own allows you freedoms you may have never expected including transportation, education, and exploration in addition to the very important basics. If there is anything I can ever share in my lifetime it is this: being as self-sufficient as you can be will provide you more liberties than you will ever know. That concept, Liberty, is important. Freedom to leave a job if you hate it. Freedom to walk away from an individual if the situation isn’t right. Freedom to make your own choices in career and personal life. Freedom to help others with your time or money that you want to help. And last but not least, the freedom to understand gratitude. Because how many people have you met with an entitlement issue?
Gratitude
Have you ever met an individual that somehow got everything handed to them? Have you ever met someone that could not fight their way out of a paper-bag in times of trouble? Yes, that indeed is where being grateful comes into play. Due to the fact that I have made sacrifices and gone without, I am incredibly appreciative of any genuine gift or gesture from friends, family, or mentors. Let me tell you, I could not have made it this far without them. The one thing you will find out is there are things you can control and things you can’t. Life will eventually throw unexpected catastrophes at you. It is during those times that your community, freedom, natural God given talents, and help from others will get you back up on your feet again.
In Conclusion
There is a quote “We never reflect how pleasant it is to ask for nothing.” from Seneca. I could not agree with this simple concept any more. Now that being said, even if you’re stuck at home, please don’t give up on work. Set goals, continue making connections, learn something new, and contribute. Work ethic is not about becoming a slave to your job. However, it is all about genuine effort, staying positive and remaining true to yourself.
